Editor's note: The below announcement is a mixed blessing for recreational anglers.

Though any loosening of the sea bass regs is welcome, recreational anglers still contend that this past year's closures of the sea bass fishery irresponsibly take away yet more fishing opportunities from recreational anglers and harm the recreational fishing industry.

The closures are based on the government's faulty surveys of fish populations, caused by lack of funds, and are also caused by partisan pressure from big-money tree-hugger groups who are against fishing, like Pew.

We don't call this fisheries management. Unfortunately we call this mismanagement, and an assault on the group least likely to fight: recreational anglers.

Yet recreational anglers' use of the fishery is very large, and substantial to the economy.

That's our opinion.

From an edited e-mail from Tom Fote from the
Jersey Coast Anglers Association:

On Monday (5/3/10) the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Management Board voted to allow the states the option to liberalize the 2010 black sea bass season in state waters.  

The new season will run from May 22 through October 11, with an additional open period of November 1 through December 31. 

The proposal would keep the size and bag limit the same, 12-1/2 inches and 25 fish per angler. 

The federal comment period on black sea bass regulations in federal waters is open until May 27, 2010, and you should send your comments supporting the new regulations that the ASMFC passed so the state and federal waters will have the same regulations.

The Federal Register notice was published before the wave 5 data was available.  The new data shows the black sea bass quota had to be reduced by 21% instead of the 44% reduction that is in the federal notice. The choice made by the ASMFC is almost a 27% reduction. This allows for management uncertainly in the recreational measures. 

I have attached the Federal Registry Notice and a link to the notice (click here for the notice, and see below for the link). The summary is below with the information on where to make your comments.

* * *

http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/regs/frdoc/10/10sfsbsbrecspecsPR.pdf


SUMMARY: NMFS proposes management measures for the 2010 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass recreational fisheries. The implementing regulations for these fisheries require NMFS to publish recreational measures for the fishing year and to provide an opportunity for public comment. The intent of these measures is to prevent overfishing of the summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass resources.  DATES: Comments must be received by 5 p.m. local time, on May 27, 2010.  ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 0648–AY04, by any one of the following methods:
 
·        Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http:// www.regulations.gov
 
·        Fax: (978) 281–9135, Attn:
Comments on 2010 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Recreational Management Measures, 0648–AY04
·        Mail and hand delivery:
·        Patricia A.Kurkul,
·        Regional Administrator, NMFS,
·        Northeast Regional Office, 55 Great Republic Drive,
·        Gloucester, MA 01930.

Mark the outside of the envelope:

‘‘Comments on 2010 Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Recreational Measures, 0648–AY04.’’

Instructions: No comments will be posted for public viewing until after the comment period has closed. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.  NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). You may submit attachments to electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.  Copies of the recreational management measures document, including the Environmental Assessment, Regulatory Impact Review, and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (EA/RIR/IRFA) and other supporting documents for the recreational management measures are available from Daniel Furlong, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, 800 N.  State Street, Suite 201, Dover, DE 19901.

These documents are also accessible via
the Internet at http://www.nero.noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Ruccio, Fishery Policy Analyst,
(978) 281–9104.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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